Folding machine



J. GLENDON.

FOLDING MACHINE. APPucATIoN mio sEPT. a, 1920.

ran Feb. 7, 1922.

Patent No.z1,294,919, issued to IVillia-m 1*.

UNiTED sTATEs PZATENT OFFICE,

JOHN GLEDON', OF MALDEN, MASSCHUSETTS.

Fo'LmNe MACHINE.

iaosme.

.To all whom it 7727643/ 0071 ciem Be it known that I, Jozin GLn-NDON, a. citizen of the United States, residing at Maiden, in the county of Middlesex and'State of Massachusetts, have invented a new landusefid Improvement in Folding Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference :eing had therein to the acompanying` drawings.

My invention relates to folding machiA es and more particularly to a foloing machine provided with means for impressing a design upon the outer surface of the material be ing foldedat or' near the folded edge Simultaneously with the folding' opera (ion.

At the present time it is custoinary after the folding ofthe edpjes of rubber parts used in the manufacture of rubber shoes, to run a hand roller having a pinkinp; lsurface over the rubber parts near the edges'in order to impress a lineal design either in imitation of stitching` or of a decorativeCharacter. This being a hand process'in addition to the folding operation, is necessarily slow and consumes time, thereby increasing' the cost of the parts. i

The main objectv of my inventionis the. provision of a folding machine provided with means forimpressinp` a design adjacent to i the cdges of the folded material in order that the folding and the impressing' Operationsl may be carried out simultaneously in. one operation.

Other objects of the invention will bo more specifically set forth hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating vone embodiment of my invention, Figur'e 1' is a front end elevation of a folding machine, looking from left to right with respect to the station of the machine operator, showing the preferredV form of invention; Fig. 2 is a w side elevation of the front end of-the chine as Viewed from the station of the operator; Fig. 3 is a Vertical sectional view on line 3-3 in Fig.` 1, looking from left to right; Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view on line 1l 4 in Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 is a detail view of the pressing surface of the hammer or pressing means.

In the drawings I have shown my invention as applied to a. folding machine of the general construction and mode of operation shown and described'in United States Letters Spear-amica of Letters Patent. Patented Feb 7, 1922, Application ifiled September 3,1920' Serial No. 407, 975.

Lautenschlager, February 18', 1919. Only7 such parts of the machine are shown .as are necessary to illustrate my invention and rel` erence may be made to said patent for a full description of the parts notshown. My invention may he applied to various other forms of folding machines by slight changes of construction which would be appareiit to one skilled in the art7 and therefore, it is not to be llmited to the particular embodiment herein shown and described.

Referring to the drawings, in which is shown the forward ends of two forwardly' edge of the work to be folded, afeed-footv 16 Operating' in conjunction with an idler feed-roll 17, for feeding the work forwardly in a step-byV-step manner, a presser-foot 18 for holding the work between the feeding movements and a fold-pre'sser or hammer 19 for pressing'V the turned over'edg'e down upon the body-portion of the material and completing the fold. The gauge 14 and plow A 15 are of the same form and have the same functions as those members shown in the Lautenschlager patent, 'hut vthe remainder of the folding instrumentalities have been changed or modified in construction and other elements added in order to aclomplish the additional result desired.

In the application of my invention to the La utenschlagermachine, I uti li ze. the feed-roll H i I i i i (v i ll for lmpress ng the desivn on the material by constructingA it in two parts or washers, as shown in detail in Figure 4, and interposing between the two parts a pinkingI disk 25 havng its periphery formed to impress the desired design.. The pinking disk vshown is provided with saw teth' on its periphery in order to secure imitation Vstitching;7 but it may be so formed as to produce other designs of a line'al Character. The parts of the roll assembled condition by any suitable means,

17 with the pinkin'g` disk 25 may be held in such as screws 26. The roll 17 is loosely mounted on a` headed stud 27 screwed into the end of the lower arm 11, a washer 28 being nterposed between the roll and the head of the stud.

For pressing the material down upon the periphery of the pinking disk 25 as lt is fed through the machine, in order to impress the design, any suitable means may be provided and one such means is shown comprisinga plunger 30 which is arranged in relation to the feeding means and operated in conjunction therewith in the following manner.

The feed-foot 16, having its lower face provided with teeth for gripping` the material in feeding, is an integral part of a hollow feed-bar 32 slidably mounted in a feedhousing 33 carried by a feed-shaft 34 which has a rocking movement in order to accomplish the feeding. The up and down movement of the feed-bar is imparted from a rock-shaft 36 by the following means. A split collar 37 carrying` a short arm 38 is fastened on the end of the rock-shaft 36 and the free end of the arm 38 is connected by a headed pin 39 to a link 40 having its upper end in the form of a yoke, within which slides a square block 42 carried by a split collar 43 fastened around the top of the feedbar 32 bv a, screw 44. The block is held in position by a screw 45. T he rocking of the shaft 36, through the medium of the arm 38, link 40 and collar 43 causes the feed-bar 32 to be reciprocated within the housing 33 to drop thefeed-foot onto the material at the beglnning of the feeding movement and to raise it from the material at the end of the feeding movement. A spring 46 attached at one end to a hooked pin 48 set in the housingl 33 and at the other end to a similar pin 49 in the split collar 43, is under'tension at all times and tends to maintain the feed-bar 32 in a lowermost position yet permitting it to yield when the material increases in thickness. The foregoing construction is set forth in detail in said Lautenschlager patent.

The plunger 30 is an integral part of a plunger-bar 50 slidably mounted in the hollow feed-bar 32. Above the plunger-bar 50 is arranged a hood 51 which is fastened to the yoke portion of the link 40 by a screw 52, the lower end of the body of the hood being curved inwardly and recessed to engage the link 40. The hood is thereby held stif when any upward pressure is brought to bear against it. The upper end of the plunger-bar 50 is bored and threaded to receive a fiat-headed screw 54 which passes loosely through a hole in the hood 51. Between the hood and plunger-bar is a coiled spring 55 under pressure, which tends to push the plunger-bar downwardly and to keep the flat head of the screw 54 in engagement with the top surface of the hood. The

`downward movement of the plunger-bar in relation to the feed-bar is limited by the shoulder 56 formed on the inside of the feedbar when engaged by a similar shoulder 57 on the plunger-bar. In the operation of these parts the plunger 30 travels with the feed-foot 16 until they both strike the material at the beginning of the feeding movement when the plunger presses the material downwardly upon the'pinking disk 25 and the feed-foot presses the material against the inside washer of the idler 17 for feeding. Each is free to move relatively to-the other and therefore, both may adj ust themselves to different levels of the material. The pres-` sure exerted by the plunger 30 upon the material may be regulated by turning the screw 54 to raise or lowerl the plunger-bar in relation to the feed-bar.

The presser-foot 18 is preferably made in the form of a thin plate curving around the feed foot and the plunger in a half circle, the end lying adj acent to the gauge 14. The presser foot 18 is secured by' a screw 60cto a presser-foot lever 61 pivotally mounted on the upper arm at 62. `The presser-foot is normally pressed toward the work-plate 13 bya spring 63 located between asocket-bolt 64 set in a bracket 65 on the upper arm 10 and the presser-foot lever 61. The socketbolt is adjustable in the bracket 65 and is held in place by a locknut 67. For raising the presser-foot the split collar 37 on the end of the rock-shaft 36 is provided with a lug 68 arranged to act against a'screw'70 set in the presser-foot 'lever 61 so that when the rock-shaft 36 is rocked the lug 68 moves to the left,lreferring to Figure 1, and throws the upper portion of the plunger-foot lever 61 to the right, thereby raising the presserfoot from the work-table. The timing of this operation'and the amount of the raise may be regulated by turning the screw 70 and securing it in adjusted position by a lock-nut 7l. If, for any reason, it is desired to raise the presser-foot, either to remove the work or for some other reason, the upper end of the presser-foot lever 61 may be thrown to the left,referring to Figure 1, by

the finger of the operator.

lVliere the machine is to be used for` foldfolding, if it is material, reference may be made to the said Lautenschlager patent, be-

cause the folding lof. the edgel ofthe material proceeds as there described. The difference in results secured, namely, theimprint of a lineal pattern or design on the material, isV w accomplished by the novel elements embodymg my invention. As the material is fed through the machine wrong side up itfis pressed down upon the pinking disk by .the

plunger and fed while in contact therewith. At the end of the feeding movement the feed-foot and plunger are raised and the piresser-foot descends to holdthe material while the feed-foot and plungertravel to- Ward the operator to the starting point where they descend, andl the plun .er a ain presses -the material upon the pin ing isk and holds it there 'While the material is fed.

j At the conclusion Vofthe folding operation V the design will be found imprinted upon the right side `of the material adjacent to the folded edge. a

Although my Vmachine is designed with particular reference to the. imprinting lof a lineal design upon rubber parts while being folded, yet it is not to be limited to that particular material since the machine may be used on any material capable of reciv'ing and holding an imprinted design. At the same time, my invention may be embodied in various other forms of construction than that herein shown and described, all within the purview of my invention. g

. What I claim is V i p 1. A folding machine having, Vin combination, Va work-support, fold-turning means, fold-pressing means and rotatable means for impressing a design upon the outer surface of the material being folded. i

2. A folding machine having, in combination, va Work support, fold-turningV means,

fold'-pressing means and rotatable means for `impressing a continuousidesign upon the outer surface of the material being folded adj acent to the folded edge thereof.

8. In a'folding machlne, the combination' with a work-support, means for turning over the edge to `be folded, and means for pressing down said turned over edge, of means for feeding the material; said feedingmeans having provlslon for lmpressing a design upon the outer surface of said material. 4. In a folding machine, the combination of a work-support, means for feeding the material, means .for turning over the edge to be folded, means for pressing down upon the body-portion said turned over edge and rotatable means for impressing a lineal design upon the outer surface of the'material being folded simultaneously w1th the 'folding operation.

i 5. In a folding machine, the combination with folding instrumentalities of a rotatable member having a pinking periphery for impressing a design upon the outer surface of the material being folded and means for pressing the material against said rotatablel member. i

6. In a folding machine, the combination with feeding and folding instrumentalities of a member having a periphery formed for impressing a design, said member being adapted to be rotated by the material as it is fed through the machine and a plunger for of said member. i

v7. In ai folding machine, the combinationwith folding instrumentalities of a' rotatable disk having. a pinking Vperiphery for' im-l pressing a lineal design upon theouter surface of the material being folded and a plunger for pressing the material against the periphery of said disk.-

8. In a folding machine, the'combination with feeding and folding instrumentalities of a i rotatable disk vhaving a periphery formed forimprinting a lineal design upon the outer surface of the material being folded` adj acent to the folded edge thereof andbeing adapted to be rotated by vthe material through the feeding-movement thereof and a plunger forpressing the material against the periphery of said disk during said feeding movement. a a y 9. In a folding machine, the combination with feeding and folding instrumentalitiesA ofa rotatablemember provided With means for imprinting a linealv design lon the 'outer surface of the material being folded andv means for pressingsaid material against said lmpressing means, Vsaid rotatable memberbeing made up of two washers having .inter-g posed between them a 4disk of greater diameter than the washers and having its periphery formed for imprinting a'lineal design. f

10. In a folding machine, the combination of means for feeding thematerial, meansforv turning over the edge to be folded, means for pressing down said turnedover edge, a rotatable disk Vhaving a periphery formed for imprinting a lineal design upon the outer surface of the material being folded adj acent to the folded edge thereof and being Vadaptedto be rotated by the feeding movement of the material and a plunger for pressingv` .with feeding and folding instrumentalities of a member having a periphery formed for impressing a design, Vsaid member being adapted to be rotated by the material as it is fed through the machine and a plunger for pressing the material against the periphery of 'said member duringV the feeding movement,fsaid plunger being carried by the feeding instrumentalities and moving int unison therewith throughout the feeding movement.

i with feeding an 13. In a foldin machine, the combination folding instrumentalities of ,a rotatable disk having a periphery for mpressing a design Vupon the outer surface of the materialbeing folded and means for pressing the material against the periphery of said disk, said meansibeing carried by said feeding means and lmoving therewith during the Vfeeding movement.

1,4. In a folding machine, the combination of means for turning' over'the edge to be folded, means for pressing down the turned overI edge, means for feeding the material in a step-by-step manner, 'said feeding means comprising ay holloW feed-bar and 'a feed-foot carried thereby, rotatable means for impres'sing a design upon the outer'surface of the material and means slidably mounted within said hollow feed-bar for holding the material in vengagement with said rotatable means during the feeding movement. o

15. In a Vfolding machine, the combination of means for turning over the edge to be folded, means for pressing down the turned over edge, means for feeding the material in a step-by-step manner, said feedin'g means comprising a hollowv' feed-bar and a feedfoot carried thereby, rotatable means for impressing a design upon the outer surface of the material andV a plunger slidably lmounted within said hollow 'feed-bar for holding the material in engagement With said rotatable. means during the feeding movement.

16. In a folding machine, the combination of means for turning over the edge to be mounted in said hollow feed-barfor pressin 'the material upon said rotatable means, sa1d 'plunger having a longitudinal 'movement'relative to said feed-bar and Vresilient means for holding said plunger iny 'adown- Ward osition.

V17. n a folding machine, the combination of means for turning over the edge to be folded, means 'for pressing down said turned over edge, means for fe'eding the material in a step-by-step manner, said means comprising a hollow' feed-bar and a feed-foot carried by said feed-bar, a rotatable diskfor impressing a design upon the outer surface of the material to be folded, a plunger slidably mounte'd Within said hollov.7 feed-bar for, pressing the material against said disk and moving in unisonV With said feed-bar during the feeding movement and resilient means for'ppressing said `plunger downwardlyV against the material during the feeding movement.l

18. A folding ,machine having, injcombination, a. means, a fold-presser having its pressing surface provided ,With a slot parallel to the linev ofV feed of the material, and'feeding work-support, fold-turning Gps means having provision 'for impressing a i design upon the said material.

19. In a. folding machine, the combination with folding instrumentalities ofaro-` I tatable vdisk adapted for impressing a design upon' the surface of the material beingV fol'ded and resilient means for holding' the material in engagement with said disk.

20. In a folding machine, the combination `with folding instrumentaltiesof arotatable 'memb'eradapted to impress a design upon the material being fo-lded and a fee'ding member for feeding the material While inv engagement lWith .said rotatable member.

In 'Witness Whereof, `I hereunto set my hand this thirteenth day of August, 1920. o

. JOHN GLENDON. 

